The Victorian Government has announced the preferred bidder of the first major tunnelling contract for works on the Suburban Rail Loop East.
Suburban Connect, a consortium of global leaders in tunnelling including CPB Contractors, Ghella and Acciona Construction has been awarded the contract for works on a 16-kilometre section of twin tunnels between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley.
SRL East will create up to 8,000 direct jobs and deliver six new underground stations between Cheltenham and Box Hill – slashing travel times and congestion and connecting people to key employment, health and education destinations in Melbourne’s east and south east.
Ten TBMs will be launched in 2026 and will be used to dig a total of 26 kilometres worth of tunnels, launching from Monash, Burwood and Heatherton, with a second contract to be awarded next year for the tunnelling between Glen Waverley and Box Hill.
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Early construction of SRL East is now underway in Box Hill, Burwood and Heatherton, with works starting soon in Monash and returning to Glen Waverley and Clayton later this year.
Minister for Suburban Rail Loop Jacinta Allan said the contract was a big step towards these works commencing in 2026.
“SRL will not only transform our public transport network, it’ll reshape how Melbourne grows in the decades ahead – taking thousands of cars off roads, delivering 24,000 jobs across the life of the project and boosting hundreds of small local businesses,” Allan said.
A second contract will be awarded next year for the tunnels between Glen Waverley and Box Hill.